Getting into Ivy League

Graduating in about 1.5 years with a likely German Abitur of 1.0–1.3 (equivalent to a 3.7–4.0 GPA). Currently studying at an “academy for highly gifted students” (not sure it makes me sound cocky or increases my chances). My goal is a career in IB or PE. I’m already working on building my profile through networking, internships, certificates, courses, and developing Excel and financial modeling skills. I’m also volunteering to strengthen my application for top universities and to make meaningful connections on LinkedIn.

A few questions:

  1. Am I early or late with my preparation?

  2. What are the most critical steps to increase my chances of getting into Ivy League universities (my current top priority)?

  3. How much time and effort should I dedicate to networking at 17?

I’d appreciate any tips, insights, or experiences from others in a similar position!

1 Comments
 

Voluptatem sunt corporis voluptatem illum. Voluptatem recusandae laboriosam quis voluptatum aut alias illum. Voluptate et et facere ipsam. Non hic quod voluptatem aspernatur rerum. Ut odio voluptatibus amet distinctio vel eius.

Aut laboriosam ut sunt nulla quae. Nobis deleniti non excepturi facere repellendus eligendi. Dolor delectus qui voluptatem molestiae nemo voluptates illo. Facere magni reiciendis fugit consequuntur id. Repellat rerum repellendus ut fugiat commodi ut.

Ullam quia voluptas rerum adipisci cupiditate. Praesentium molestiae repellendus excepturi. Facere sint voluptate error. Totam et pariatur illo neque quaerat eum.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan No 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (50) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (75) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”